By Haider Rifaat

Gear up SMG fans! The 38-year old actress who starred in The Crazy Ones (2012) and Ringer (2011), both shows that were axed by different TV networks is taking the high road with a guest starring role in the new comedy Those Who Can’t. Being a huge fan of the former ‘Buffy’ star, the actress will grace our screens once again with a comedic role.
As quoted and pictured in SMGFrance.Net, a fan website dedicated to Gellar, the actress was seen behind the scenes shooting for an episode for the new comedy series. SMG will reportedly star in the second episode of the show’s first season.

During her one year hiatus, Gellar devoted her time to several charities and awareness programs including No Child Hungry but after a long wait, the actress is back on track. But the real question is, when will SMG return to television in a show that completely centers on her? Well, we’d just have to wait and watch!

The third season of the thrilling Lifetime soap opera Devious Maids will conclude next week on August 24th, 2015. The show stars Roselyn Sanchez, Judy Reyes, Ana Ortiz and Dania Ramirez as four ambitious Latina maids working for some of the most affluent families in Los Angeles, California. But these four ladies harbor many dirty secrets of the households they represent.

The first season of the show focused on Flora Hernandez’s murder case. The maids made it their mission to find out who the real killer really was.

The second season had a lot going on. There was an obsessed ‘maid’ lover who also happened to be a killer. The season ended its run with a cliffhanger – a major character got shot on Rosie’s wedding ceremony.
In the current season three of Devious Maids, the center of focus was the Stappord family who had recently adopted a Mexican girl, Katy. It was later revealed in the last few episodes that she had witnessed her father’s murder and that a gang of goons were after her.

Additionally, a new maid was introduced this season, Blanca Alvarez (played by Naya Rivera) who was yet again murdered by an anonymous killer, and now we will finally uncover who the actual killer is in next week’s season finale.

Speaking of ratings, the current season of the show generated a million viewers per episode facing a downfall as compared to the last two seasons. But the real question is, will Lifetime renew Devious Maids for a fourth season? I sure hope so! Although the ratings have not been so impressive this year, the show continues to surprise us with its writing and acting. Let’s keep those fingers crossed!

The freshman thriller TV show, ‘Eye Candy’ is one week away before concluding its first season. The show stars Victoria Justice as Lindy Sampson, a brilliant hacker who makes it her mission to search for an online serial killer in New York City while juggling her personal and professional life. The show made a decent series debut this year attracting a little over 0.6 million viewers on original airings. Although such ratings are relatively lower as compared to other hit MTV shows.

In last night’s episode, we discovered who the real Flirtual killer was. It was none other than Lindy’s psychotic love interest, Jake Bolin. Being a huge fan of thriller television shows, I believe that we, as viewers, were already given a hint about Jake’s dark side prior to his revelation as the actual killer. The ninth episode was quite a package for all ‘Eye Candy’ fans. It had drama, thriller and a tad bit of neo-noir edge to it. I, for one savored every moment of the episode. It was worth the watch!

But the real question is, will the show be renewed for a second season? Although many fans want the series to be renewed, but will MTV give ‘Eye Candy’ the benefit of the doubt before cancelling the show? Being a passionate fan of the series, I believe the show should be renewed for a second season. The series has managed to garner over 0.6 million viewers per episode. Even if the finale episode generates a million viewers, we might get some fruitful news from MTV in the coming weeks. Let’s just hope ‘Eye Candy’ gets renewed for a fresh season, but until then, stay tuned for the season finale set to air on March 16th, 2015 at 10PM on MTV.

Screams are in the air! The 37-year old actress, Sarah Michelle Gellar is rumored to star in the upcoming horror anthology TV series titled ‘Scream Queens’ says IMDB. I, for one would love to see Sarah back on the small screen.
When asked about her return to television in a recent interview for SpecSaver, Gellar answered that she will make a surprise comeback after some time. Could Scream Queens be that ‘surprise’ package? I sure hope so!

The series will be created by Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk. The plot of the show revolves around a college terrorized by a series of inexplicable murders. The show also stars the scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Roberts in the leading roles. Both, Gellar and Roberts have starred in the horror Scream film series. Emma portrayed a deranged psychopathic killer in ‘Scream 4’ in 2011 while Sarah played a decent role of Casey Cooper in ‘Scream 2’ back in 1998.

Curtis, who is well known for her popular film roles in the Halloween film series, ‘Prom Night’ and ‘The Fog’is also a great addition to the cast. Fox has already ordered fifteen episodes of the series. It is time that Gellar commits to a project that compliments her forte i.e. horror. I am really looking forward to seeing her in a fresh horror series as she is a modern-day Scream queen in my humble opinion.

She has starred in more than four horror films such as ‘The Grudge’, ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ and ‘The Return.’ I, along with many other Gellar fans are eagerly waiting for her return to television. Let’s hope she gets a starring role in Scream Queens!

I am not quite the TV geek as there are only few television shows that I follow. The kinds that I tend to keep an eye on are those with wicked, devious themes and those that are full of secrets.

Nowadays, it’s all about shows such as The Big Bang Theory or the Game of Thrones. But in all honesty, such shows have never enticed me as a viewer. They are quite overrated, if you ask me. The unfortunate thing, however, is that a show, such as Ringer, was not appreciated or given any credit despite the fact that it had a riveting storyline and great cast to go with it.

I have always adored Sarah Michelle Gellar ever since I was seven years old. She is an inspiration to me when it comes to acting. When I heard about her initial return to television with Ringer, I was literally on cloud nine! What’s better than a good television show that has your personal favorite actress in the lead?

I saw Ringer back in 2011, when it originally aired on The CW. The show borrows some elements from the neo-noir film genre. It centers on the lives of two twin sisters, Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin (both portrayed by Gellar respectively). Gellar has done a fantastic job playing both the roles with equal power and vigor.

Bridget is a recovering drug addict and a stripper. After she sees her boss commit a crime, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) put her under witness protection so that she can testify against him. But as soon as Bridget learns that her boss, and his gang, have murdered such witnesses before, she decides to flee. And in her desperation, she goes to her estranged twin sister, Siobhan, for help.

Siobhan, on the other hand, is an affluent young woman, residing in New York City with her husband Andrew Martin (played by Ioan Gruffudd). It is shown that Bridget and Siobhan have a seemingly contentious relationship with each other. They have shared a rough past, which is not disclosed in the first-half of the initial season but, gradually, the audience get to learn more about the twins and their relationship.

After Siobhan’s mysterious death, Bridget assumes her identity, thinking she could escape her old life and start all over again. But little does she know that Siobhan’s life is as complex as hers. Bridget later learns that her sister had an affair with her best friend’s husband, Henry Butler (played by Kristoffer Polaha).

But wait till you hear this, Siobhan is not really dead. She is conspiring against her own sister. Why, you wonder? Well, I won’t spill all the details. You’ll have to watch the show to find out!

If you decide to watch Ringer, don’t judge the show on the basis of its pilot episode as it was not strong enough as compared to the rest of the episodes. The show only gets juicer and more intriguing as the story progresses.

But sadly, the show was cancelled by The CW in 2012. If you are assuming that ratings played a pivotal role in the cancellation process, you might want to think again. There was a poll launched in early 2012 that had listed Ringer, The Secret Circle and Gossip Girl as shows that fans would like fresh seasons for. Although, Gossip Girl had lower ratings than Ringer, the fans picked Gossip Girl as their primary choice and it was renewed for a sixth season. Ringer, on the other hand, was cancelled.

I personally believe this was a rather unfair decision made by The CW network. Maybe it should have been marketed to other networks, such as NBC or ABC family. Ringer provided a completely different storyline to the television landscape. It was a show that offered something new to the audience every week; it was riveting, fun and full of suspense. In addition, Gellar’s acting was stellar. I still believe it should be given a second season. Ringer was a whole package overall.

What makes Ringer standout from shows such as Gossip Girl or The Lying Game, is pure creativity and innovation with which it has been structured. The creators of the show, Nicole Snyder and Eric Charmelo, did a remarkable job with the plot and storylines. This very factor lacks in many TV shows that are currently on air. Most television shows of today have tedious plots, repetitive themes and predictable drama. Not only does Ringer have just the right amount of drama and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat, it also has a glamour and fashion element merged brilliantly with the theme of the show.

Moreover, Ringer managed to bring in a ‘twin connection’ on television and that was primarily why it did so well on television. This very factor lacks in a show such as Orphan Black, which also has a twin sister plot. But that show does not have the stimulation that Ringer had. Additionally, the creators of Orphan Black had borrowed a few elements from Ringer during the first season, reflecting on just how strong Ringer’s storyline was.

The best thing about Ringer is that it’s unpredictable and full of twists and turns. Every episode ended with a shocking climax scene that even Gossip Girl and/or Orphan Black couldn’t possibly engender.

I put all my bets on this show! It’s worthy of every accolade known to mankind. The acting was brilliant. Every character had their own uniqueness and strong screen presence. Additionally, I loved the way the director(s) of the show had choreographed New York City in such a lavish, yet mysterious fashion.

Orphan Black, on the other hand, is a satisfactory television show with more of a sci-fi edge to it. While Ringer was about two twin sisters, Orphan Black is all about cloning (which is quite sad for a television show).

I saw a few raving reviews about this show. Here is what some fans had to say about Ringer:

“It’s smart, clever, fashionable and out of this world! Love it!” said Martha Eve, a blogger from California.

“Ringer is sassy and a fun ride for everyone!” quoted Will Arthur, a website host.

“My latest obsession! Gellar is so talented. I wonder why she’s so underrated as an actress” said Timothy Harris, a writer for various newspapers.

There you go! I hope such reviews coax you into watching this amazing television series. Ringer will always remain one of my personal favorites and I hope you give it a chance. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.